Pandora Papers and the latest European efforts to combat money laundering, tax evasion and tax avoidance

Following the revelations of the Pandora Papers on offshore financial mechanisms which allow European citizens to avoid paying tax obligations and to commit tax evasion or money laundering offenses, the European Parliament adopted Resolution 2021/2922 (RSP) requiring Member States to take urgent and decisive action, both legislative and investigative, to combat this type of criminal behavior. As a response to the request formulated by the Parliament, the European Commission drafted a Proposal for a council Directive laying down rules to prevent the misuse of shell entities for tax purposes by introducing new monitoring and reporting regulations.

Combating money laundering with machine learning – applicability of supervised-learning algorithms at cryptocurrency exchanges

Purpose This study aims to explore how to deanonymize cryptocurrency money launderers with the help of machine learning (ML). Money is laundered through cryptocurrencies by distributing funds to multiple accounts and then reexchanging the crypto back. This process of exchanging currencies is done through cryptocurrency exchanges. Current preventive efforts are outdated, and ML may provide novel ways to identify illicit currency movements. Hence, this study investigates ML applicability for combatting money laundering activities using cryptocurrency. Design/methodology/approach Four supervised-learning algorithms were compared using the Bitcoin Elliptic Dataset. The method covered a quantitative analysis of the algorithmic performance, capturing differences in three key evaluation metrics of F1-scores, precision and recall. Two complementary qualitative interviews were performed at cryptocurrency exchanges to identify fit and applicability of the algorithms. Findings The study results show that the current implemented ML tools for preventing money laundering at cryptocurrency exchanges are all too slow and need to be optimized for the task. The results also show that while not one single algorithm is most suitable for detecting transactions related to money-laundering, the specific applicability of the decision tree algorithm is most suitable for adoption by cryptocurrency exchanges. Originality/value Given the growth of cryptocurrency use, this study explores the newly developed field of algorithmic tools to combat illicit currency movement, in particular in the growing arena of cryptocurrencies. The study results provide new insights into the applicability of ML as a tool to combat money laundering using cryptocurrency exchanges.

Does holding offshore jurisdictions to higher AML standards really assist in preventing money laundering?

Purpose This paper aims to contend that when tackling financial crimes such as money laundering and terrorist financing, international regulators are seeking to hold offshore jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands to higher standards and that this detracts from the pursuit of detecting and prosecuting money launders. Design/methodology/approach This paper will deal with the following perceived issues: firstly, to offshore jurisdictions as a concept; secondly, to outline the efforts made by the Cayman Islands to combat money laundering and to rate these changes against Financial Action Task Forces’ (FATAF’s) technical criteria; thirdly, to demonstrate that the Cayman Islands is among some of the world’s top jurisdictions for compliance with FATAF’s standards; and finally, to examine whether greylisting was necessary and to comment upon whether efforts by international regulators to hold offshore jurisdictions to higher standards detracts from the actual prosecution of money laundering within the jurisdiction. Findings Greylisting the Cayman Islands in these authors’ view was something that should have never happened; the Cayman Islands is being held to standards far beyond what is expected in an onshore jurisdiction. There is a need for harmonisation in respect of international anti money laundering rules and regulations to shift the tone to prosecution and investigation of offences rather than on rating jurisdictions technical compliance with procedural rules where states have a workable anti-money laundering (AML) regime. Research limitations/implications The implications of this research are to show that offshore jurisdictions are being held by FATAF and other international regulators to higher AML standards than their onshore counterparties. Practical implications The author hopes that this paper will begin the debate as to whether FATAF needs to give reasons as to why offshore jurisdictions are held to higher standards and whether it needs to begin to contemplate higher onshore standards. Originality/value This is an original piece of research evaluating the effect of FATAF's reporting on offshore jurisdictions with a case study involving primary and secondary data in relation to the Cayman Islands.

"The Phenomenon of Trade-Based Money Laundering in Bangladesh" - A Critical Review

Bangladesh is one of the victims of financial crime like money laundering. Bangladesh's gross domestic product (GDP) has risen to 329.12 billion dollars in recent years and is steadily expanding. According to BASEL AML Index data (2020), Bangladesh's current AML score is 5.88. It stands in 38 rankings among 141 countries where Afghanistan ranks in the number one position, scoring 8.16, and Estonia ranks in 141 places with a score of 2.36. To fight financial crime like money laundering, The Central Bank of Bangladesh has taken necessary steps to be in line with FATF Status. In this connection, Trade-Based Money Laundering is a type of money laundering that shall closely monitor. Under-invoicing and over-invoicing are regularly practiced by the importers and exporters while declaring false prices of the goods. The remaining capital flies through "Hundi" and other media like Bitcoin or cryptocurrency platforms and uses offshore tax havens to hide the money. Though ML / TBML is a common problem over the entire world, in comparison to others, Bangladesh's progress is not significant, and not enough academic research is being published, which creates a considerable gap between the Government agencies and academia. This study attempts to break the ice between government agencies and academia. Still, more in-depth research shall be needed to combat Money Laundering (ML) or Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML).

A Study on Anti-Money Laundering: Principles And Perceptions in Context to India

Tax evasion is the focal turn of numerous genuine offenses. Hacking frameworks or laundering cash has become an extraordinary calling of individuals where they exploit distinctive monetary and general sets of laws of various nations. AML is needed to make the country less appealing for the launderers, in this manner shielding the monetary area from functional and reputational hazards. To have a thorough paper, the paper is partitioned into four sections. Part I opens up with clarifying the ideas and cycles of tax evasion calling attention to the causes and methods of illegal tax avoidance. Part II moves with rules and guidelines/control instruments to manage the issue of illegal tax avoidance. Considering the previously mentioned conversation Part III continues in expounding the ideas to have a decent enemy of tax evasion system. The paper is the principal endeavor to move toward AML Bill 2008 to combat money laundering.

Iran's criminal policy towards money laundering in the country’s banking system

Using the documentary research methodology, the aim of the article was to study Iran's criminal policy towards money laundering in its banking system. A number of measures have been taken in the Iranian legal system to combat money-laundering, the most important of which is the adoption of the anti-money-laundering law in 2007 and its executive regulations in 2009. With the enactment of this law, the crime of money laundering officially entered the Iranian legal system with its own special and independent title. By way of conclusion, it is evident that various governmental and judicial institutions have made the fight against money-laundering one of their main objectives and tasks. Meanwhile, the role of the National Audit Office has also been prominent, and it has made numerous efforts, both nationally and internationally, to identify cases of money laundering, eliminate money laundering and ultimately combat it effectively and efficiently.

Measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing in Palestine

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the evolution of anti-money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) procedures in Palestine since 2004 in accordance with the standards issued by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Design/methodology/approach This study is qualitative in nature and involves studying the most important improvements made by Palestinian authorities in the state’s legislative and institutional frameworks to enhance the AML/CFT regime. Findings Palestine has established the necessary legal basis to combat money laundering and terrorist financing crimes. At the institutional level, the Financial Follow-up Unit was granted all the required powers of Financial Intelligence Units. The National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Financing Terrorism has also played a vital role in issuing policies and plans to respond to the outcomes of the National Risk Assessment process. In contrast, a number of challenges still exist mainly with respect to the political factors and their expected consequences on the process of preparing for and conducting the mutual evaluation process for Palestine. Originality/value This study focusses on the AML/CFT efforts in Palestine owing to the nature and specificity of the Palestinian situation, as Palestine’s AML/CFT procedures have not been subject to any previous mutual evaluation process by the MENAFATF. Such efforts have rarely addressed the Palestinian case, making this study important to researchers and those interested in this field.

BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP ARRANGEMENTS IN SAVING LOAN COOPERATIVE AS A PREVENTIVE ATTEMPT TO THE CRIME OF MONEY LAUNDERING

The historical existence of savings and loans cooperatives (KSP) in Indonesia cannot be separated from the account and development of cooperatives in the country. Savings and loans business has become the main basis for cooperative activities that make cooperatives persist and progress timelessly. Savings and Loans Cooperatives have even become the main goal of micro and small business players in finding welcoming and friendly sources of financing in the sense of low interest rates and a quick/ easy process to reach without conditions and based on family principles. With all forms of developments and changes, this type of savings and loan cooperative has the potential for the practice of money laundering. Suspicious financial transactions, such as payments for voluntary savings in large amounts that do not match the profile of service users and payments for cooperative savings made by other parties that have no relationship with service users. Thus, it should be suspected and followed up by an effort to prevent and combat money laundering. With the existence of Presidential Regulation Number 13 of 2018 concerning the Application of the Principles of Recognizing Beneficial Owners of Corporations in the Context of Prevention and Eradication of Money Laundering and Terrorism Funding Crimes, it is an initial anticipatory step to prevent money laundering in savings and loan cooperatives and savings units with the principle of knowing service users (PMPJ). <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0797/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Selected challenges associated with the reliance on customer due diligence measures to curb money laundering in South African banks and related financial institutions

Customer due diligence is a means of ensuring that financial institutions know their customers well through know-your-customer (KYC) tools and related measures. Notably, customer due diligence measures include the identification and verification of customer identity, keeping records of transactions concluded between a customer and the financial institution, ongoing monitoring of customer account activities, reporting unusual and suspicious transactions, and risk assessment programmes. Accordingly, financial institutions should ensure that their customers are risk assessed before concluding any transactions with them. The regulation of money laundering is crucial to the economic growth of many countries, including South Africa. However, there are still numerous challenges affecting the banks and other role players’ reliance on customer due diligence measures to combat money laundering in South Africa. Therefore, a qualitative research methodology is employed in this article to unpack such challenges. The challenges include the failure to meet the identification and verification requirements by some South African citizens, onerous documentation requirements giving rise to other persons being denied access to the formal financial sector, and the lack of express provisions to regulate the informal financial sector in South Africa. Given this background, the article discusses the challenges associated with the regulation and implementation of customer due diligence measures to enhance the combating of money laundering in South African banks and related financial institutions. It is hoped that the recommendations provided in this article will be utilised by the relevant authorities to enhance customer due diligence and effectively combat money laundering activities in South African banks and related financial institutions.